Mad ex-priest attacks runner
A defrocked Irish priest who appears to be deranged committed the biggest security breach of the Athens Olympics yesterday by grabbing and holding back the leading marathon runner some 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the end. The athlete, Vanderlei de Lima of Brazil, was pushed into the crowd lining the marathon route on Mesogeion Avenue and lost several vital seconds before he could resume the race, but was otherwise unhurt. The middle-aged man who rushed onto the course dressed in a rust-colored kilt, green socks and a beret was quickly arrested with the help of spectators. He was later identified as Cornelius Horan, 57, a defrocked Irish priest who disrupted the British Grand Prix last July by running onto the track in midrace. Police said the man appeared to be badly deranged. Lima quickly lost his lead, but managed to end the grueling race in third place. He said the incident cost him the gold medal, which went to Italy’s Stefano Baldini.
